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Black Bins
As from 1st November 2011, we will be operating an alternate weekly waste and recycling collection service.
We took this decision in an effort to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill and improve recycling rates across the District. Cuts to the grants we receive from central government, also mean we have to save nearly £2million pounds this year and changing to a fortnightly waste collection service will result in savings of around £200,000 a year.
We are one of the last local authorities to bring in alternate weekly collections as we wanted to make sure you had every option available to recycle or compost your waste. Now we have these available through the green and burgundy bins, it is important that you use them to manage your waste and reduce what we send to landfill.
Detailed information packs have been delivered to every household in the District. These packs will contain information including a calendar explaining which bin will be collected on which day, how the scheme will work and what you can put in each bin. 
Posters have also been issued to public buildings in the District to display.
In the meantime, we have put together a list of Frequently Asked Questions or FAQ's to help answer any queries you may have about the new scheme. If you cannot find an answer to your query below, please complete our on-line enquiry form and we will provide the answer for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the alternate week refuse/recycling collection scheme?
We will operate an alternate week refuse/recycling collection scheme from the 1st November 2011. This means that you will have a green wheeled bin for all your green waste, a burgundy wheeled bin for recyclable waste and a black wheeled bin for everything else. You will receive a collection of each bin once every two weeks.
Why has the Council adopted this scheme?
We collect roughly 35,000 tonnes of waste each year. In the past more than 80% of this waste has been buried in landfill sites. Future landfill capacity and the types of waste which can be deposited have been reducing for some time. All local authorities have to address this and plan for the future. For us, the good news is that with the introduction of the new burgundy recycling bin, together with green garden waste collections, we are collecting much less waste to take to landfill now. So much so that it is no longer necessary to carry out weekly collections of your residual waste.
When Will My Bins Be Emptied?
In addition to the fortnightly collection service for burgundy bins the new scheme will mean that residents’ black bins are collected one week and the green bin the following week. To help you with this you will receive a calendar with your information pack showing the dates each type of bin will be emptied. These information packs will be delivered during October before the scheme begins on the 1st November 2011.
Does this mean a reduction in the service I was previously receiving?
No. In 2005 we launched our green waste recycling service for the collection of garden waste and in 2011 we launched our burgundy bin recycling scheme for collection of paper, glass, plastic, cardboard and cans. Far from a reduction in services, households now receive three services instead of one. If you are using these services fully, there should be sufficient space in your black bin for the rest of your waste.
What if I don't want a fortnightly waste collection service?
We are one of the last councils to introduce Alternate Week Collections (AWC). During the last ten years, we have invested a lot of resources in providing more recycling and compost services for our residents, whilst retaining a weekly collection of residual waste. However, the overall reduction in household waste occurring nationally, coupled with the success of our burgundy and green waste collection schemes has made this less and less justifiable. The average amount of waste produced by each household in the district has been steadily reducing year on year, from a high of 874kgs in 2006/07 to 707kgs in 2010/11. To continue with a weekly collection of a diminishing waste stream is neither environmentally or economically sound management of resources.
However, being one of the last councils to introduce AWC has meant that we have been able to learn from other authorities experience. No environmental health issues have been identified as a result of this type of collection, fly-tipping incidences generally do not increase, whilst the amount of waste recycled and composted certainly does.
We will continue to work at enhancing waste and recycling services for residents by seeking to increase the type of waste materials which can be recycled and identifying further efficiencies whenever appropriate opportunities arise.
I understand the government are providing money to council's to bring back weekly waste collections, so why are you introducing this scheme now?
The Government have offered £250 million to councils to retain weekly collections whilst setting a waste strategy which seeks to deliver zero waste to landfill. Currently, there is insufficient waste disposal infrastructure to handle weekly black bin waste without sending it to landfill.
The £250 million is a one off fund which councils would need to make bids for a share of. We have received no firm details on the bidding process or rules, with the exception that it will require councils to commit to weekly collections for a five year period and also to commit to further environmental improvements. It averages out at around £685,000 per waste collection authority; we would need in excess of £1.5m to meet the weekly collection commitment, with larger city councils needing a much larger share of the fund.
It is believed that to retain weekly collections the government would need to invest at least £750 million in waste collection and significantly more than this to provide the waste disposal infrastructure to achieve the zero waste to landfill strategy.
I pay my Council Tax, am I not entitled to a weekly collection service?
No. The Environmental Protection Act 1990 states that Waste Collection Authorities have a duty to arrange waste collection. However, there is no stated or implied frequency. You still receive a weekly collection of waste, be it one kind or another, so that we can deal with it most effectively.
Is it not a health hazard to collect residual refuse on alternate weeks?
The majority of authorities in England have already introduced alternate weekly collection systems and there have been no instances of ill health connected with this type of collection service. By using your black bin and following the simple hygiene checklist for residual waste there will be no increased health risk from your waste.
What time should I put my bins out for collection?
You need to make sure your bin is presented by 6am on your collection day. We provide a kerbside collection so your bin should be presented at the edge of your property where it meets the pavement by no later than 6am on your scheduled collection day.
What can I put in my black bin?
Any general household waste which is not identified below for burgundy or green bin collections can be placed in your black bin.
What can I put in my green bin?
You can only place the following in the green bin:
- Leaves, hedge and plant clippings, twigs, branches and prunings, grass cuttings, weeds and cut flowers - please ensure that any plants that are put in the bin have had all their excess soil removed.
PLEASE DO NOT PLACE ANY OTHER MATERIAL IN THE GREEN BIN OR IT MAY NOT BE COLLECTED
What can I put in my burgundy bin?
You can only place the following in the burgundy bin:
- Cardboard, Plastic Bottles, Glass, Cans, Envelopes (not window), Newspapers and junk mail.
Please note: IF EITHER OF THE GREEN OR BURGUNDY BINS ARE CONTAMINATED WITH OTHER MATERIAL THAN THAT WHICH HAS BEEN SPECIFIED THEN THEY WILL NOT BE EMPTIED.
I haven’t put my bin out in time. Do I have to wait for another two weeks to get it emptied?
If you have missed your scheduled collection day for that material then you will have to wait for your next scheduled collection date and no additional side waste will be taken. If you really can’t manage until then, you can telephone 01246 242424 and ask that your bin is emptied on the bulky refuse collection service. Please note that there is a charge for this service.
My bin hasn’t been emptied and I’ve been left a notice saying there is contamination in it. How can I get it emptied?
If you have placed something in the bin which is not one of the materials specified, then you will have to remove it before the bin can be emptied. This will happen on your next scheduled collection day in two weeks time. However, if the bin still contains contaminants then again it will not be emptied.
If you are unwilling or unable to remove the contamination, you have the option to request that the bin is emptied on the bulky refuse collection service. Please telephone 01246 242424 for more information. Please note that there is a charge for this service.
My bin hasn’t been emptied and I’ve been left a notification saying the lid was open. Why wasn’t it emptied?
We operate a closed lid/no side waste policy which means that refuse crews will only collect bins with a closed lid and will not collect any material left alongside the bin. There are a number of reasons for this:
- Restricting side waste encourages waste minimisation and recycling.
- It helps reduce overall waste volumes and encourages greater recycling participation.
- It increases crew efficiency and reduces occupational health and safety risks including needle stick/sharps and lifting injuries.
- It provides baseline weight data and assists with resource allocation.
- It reduces litter.
- For definition purposes a closed lid is one which has a gap of less than 3 inches from the bottom of the lid to the top of the bin.
My bin has not been collected, what do I do?
If your bin has been missed on your scheduled collection day, please complete our on-line missed bin collection form. There are a number of reasons why bins may occasionally be left uncollected. These include the bin being too heavy, lids not fully shut or where unacceptable refuse is found. If this occurs you will be left a notification through your letter box. The notification will explain why your waste has been left and what steps you should take to rectify this.
We will check the drivers log to establish if there is any reason for the non collection and if no reason can be found, then the collection of additional waste will be offered on your next scheduled collection day.
If it is our fault your bin has not been collected, we will collect it the following week. So residents will receive a collection of their green, burgundy and black bin the following week. No side waste will be taken as residents will be able to place this in their empty bin ready for the following week’s collection.
However, if you receive our Assisted Bin Service then we will return the next day and empty it. Please note if you have not presented your bin on time we will not return to empty it.
Please note that sometimes collections cannot be made due to factors outside of our control, for example, adverse weather conditions such as snow and ice.
If you are moving to a new property and there is no bin present, we recommend you request your bin when you have moved in by telephoning our Contact Centres on 01246 242424 or submit an enquiry form - we prefer not to deliver bins to empty properties in case the bin subsequently goes missing.
What would happen if I continued to put things in the wrong coloured bin?
We will help and advise residents in any way we can to use the refuse and recycling collection schemes correctly. However, wilful and repeated contamination of green and/or burgundy bins will result in the withdrawal of the service from the property concerned.
Will my black bin smell?
By following this simple hygiene checklist for your black bin, potential problems will be avoided.
- Securely wrap and tie any potentially smelly waste
- Ensure the bin lid is always closed
- Try to avoid storing your bin in direct sunlight
- Rinse containers and wrapping where appropriate (containers placed in your burgundy bin should also be rinsed out)
- Occasionally rinse out the bin with disinfectant
- Waste such as cooked food and nappies should be double wrapped before placing in the bin
Please note waste placed in the green and burgundy bins must not be wrapped.
The weathers awful and refuse collections have been stopped. When will I get my bin emptied and which one will it be?
During exceptional circumstances or inclement weather it may be necessary to suspend waste collections. We understand that this could cause some confusion and anxiety to residents who receive an alternate weekly collection service. Obviously as these circumstances are exceptional it is impossible to identify at this time the action which will be taken. However, were such events occur, up to date information and messages will be available on our website, Facebook page, the local media (radio, newspapers, etc) and also via our telephone messaging service on 01246 242424.
I don’t want a burgundy or green bin. Can I still have my black bin emptied weekly?
No, you will no longer receive a weekly black bin collection. Your black bin will be emptied fortnightly on the scheduled day as indicated in your calendar when you receive this in October.
Will my bin attract maggots and flies?
Flies will only lay eggs onto food if it is unprotected. Double wrapping such food waste will ensure you don’t have a problem with flies.
Will this scheme lead to an increase in fly tipping in the District?
Experience from other authorities already using alternate weekly collections suggests that fly tipping does not increase as a result of the scheme being introduced.
I’ve got children in disposable nappies and I can’t manage with my black bin collected fortnightly.
If you are living in a property with 5 permanent residents which includes a child in nappies then we can arrange for you to receive a clinical waste collection. This also applies where 4 permanent residents includes more than one child in nappies.
There are more than 6 permanent residents in my property and I am struggling to manage with my black bin.
Properties which contain 5 or less residents are issued with a standard size bin. If there are 6 or more permanent residents occupying a property then you may apply for additional capacity. Please see below.*
| Circumstances | Entitlement |
| Properties with 6/7 permanent residents | 1 x 360L Black Residual Bin |
| Properties with 8-10 permanent residents | 2 x 360L Black Residual Bin |
| Properties with 10+ residents | Individual assessment |
*Please note that the above criteria does not apply to multiple occupancy premises such as residential homes or communal properties like flats which already have different arrangements for refuse collection. These arrangements vary and may include the use of large commercial size bins.
Do you collect extra waste?
Extra waste or ‘side’ waste will not be taken unless your bin has been missed by our collectors on your previous collection day. Extra waste will only be taken if it has been authorised, which is why it is important to report any missed collections to our Contact Centres by telephoning 01246 242424. We do offer a Bulky Waste collection service for any additional waste or large houshold items or alternatively you can take it to one of the Household Waste Recycling Centres.
What if my bin is split, damaged or lost?
If your bin is split or damaged the refuse crew will assess if it is serviceable and safe to use. If it is not, you will receive a notification through your letter box and a new bin will be provided for you free of charge. If the bin has been lost in the refuse vehicle we will replace it free of charge. Again, if this has occurred, you will receive a notification through your letterbox.
However, if your bin has been lost or stolen then you must telephone our Contact Centres on 01246 242424 or submit an enquiry form to order a new one. Please note that there is a charge for replacement bins.
Alternatively, you can provide your own bin providing it meets our collection requirements. Once again our Contact Centres can advise you on this.
I receive assistance with my bins, will this continue?
Yes. If you receive assistance with your bins this will continue with this new scheme.
Where can I get more information?
All households will receive more detailed information during October about the alternate weekly collection scheme. But if you have more questions please complete our on-line enquiry form and we will do our best to answer these.
Calendars
Below are the calendars that highlight which bin will be collected on which day. Every household in the District should have received one of these calendars with their detailed information packs.
We will be taking your black refuse bin one week and your burgundy bin and green bin on the following week. It will be on the same day of the week so it will be easy for you to remember.
| Tuesday week 1 |
Tuesday week 2 |
| Wednesday week 1 |
Wednesday week 2 |
| Thursday week 1 |
Thursday week 2 |
| Friday week 1 |
Friday week 2 |
Last Updated on Tuesday, 17 April 2012 11:16
